Clothes-washing machine



c. HERBERT 1,735,391 CLOTHES WASHING MACHINE Filed March 1928 s Sheet-Sheet 1 ,5 lag Nov. 12, 1929. c. c. HERBERT 1,735,391

CLOTHES WASHING MACHINE Filed March 8, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 ynyzuzzz 6 yr a rm 4 o 14 IIIIIII maw ,1 Tram) Nov. 12, 1929. c. c. HERBERT CLOTHES WASHING MACHINE Filed March 8, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet FIGURE! .11

J/IVE/VTO M 6% FIGURE ID .4 PTO P/VEX Patented Nov. 12, 1929 UNITED STA CHARLES c. HERBERT, or SAN JOSE, cALiromnA CLOTHES-WASHING nAonmn Application filed March 8,

This invention relates particularly to a ma chine mountable upon a fixedlaundry tray.

It is the principal object of the invention to provide a machine of the character indi cated that may be so positioned relative to the tray as to present no appreciable obstruction to the placing of clothes therein or removal .of clothes therefrom.

It is another object of the invention to provide a machine having an impeller that is centrally located in the bottom of the tray in which clothes are to be washed, and that is operated by a power plant mounted externally of the tray through the medium of driving means arranged along a side and the bottom of the tray.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a machine of the character, indicated that will be simple in construction, economical to manufacture, of few parts, quickly and easily assembled or disassembled, compact, and highly efficient in its practical application. a

, In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the invention in position on a laundry tray, parts being broken away.

Figure 2 is a transverse section through the impeller.

Figure 3 is a section on line 33, Figure 1. Figure 4 is a side elevation. of the machine, parts broken away. I Figure 5 is a plan view of the machine with the top parts removed.

Figure 6 is a side elevation of part of the, power transmission mechanism.

Figure 7 is a section on line 7 7 Figure 4. Figure 8 is a section on line 8-.8, Figure 4. Figure 9 is a section on line 9-9, Figure 5. Figure 10 is a plan view of a portion of another embodiment of my invention.

Figure 11 is a plan view of 'a portion of still another embodimentof'the invention. Referring now more particularlyto the drawings, I show at '1 a wrin'ger frame having lugs as 2 formed integrally thereon to engage the side wall of the laundry tray 3 and hold the corresponding'side of the frame in alignment with the side of the tray which the lugs engage. On the opposite sideof the for the wringer rolls that is entirely enclosed 1928. Serial No. 260,122.

frame are depending lugs as 4 fitted with any suitable form of clamping devices as 5 by means of which the frame may be securely fastened on the tray wall.

On the back end of the frame 1 and formed integrally therewith is a vertical housing 6 in the present case having its outer wall fiattened as at 7 so as to be in the plane of the corresponding side of the frame 1,, and extending from the housing is a flange 8 presenting a surface aligning with the part ,On the top of the frame 1 and housing 6 is a housing 9 fitted with a cap 10 secured thereto by bolts as 11.. The cap 10 is provided with an annular opening 12 having an upstanding flange 13 adapted to provide a seat for an electric motor 14 arranged with its driving shaft in a vertical position.

In housing 9 and in vertical alignment with the axis of housing 6 is a bearing 15 through which passes a shaft 16. The shaft 16 is seated at its bottom end in a bearing 17, and on this shaft is mounted any suitable wringer operating mechanism designated. generally b the reference character 18, the wringer rolls being shown at 19. The

. bearing 15 extends upwardly to a point adjacent the upperend of the housing 9, and on the shaft 16 above said bearing is mounted an inverted tubular element 20 which extends downwardly over the bearing 15 to apoint adjacent the bottom of the housing where it is fitted with a gear 21. This construction provides an operating mechanism and yet may be efficiently lubricated from the chamber 22 formed by housing 9 Without danger of leakage into the laundry tray.

On a bearing 23 in chamber 22 is mounted ashaft 24, and on the shaft 21 is mounted an eccentric 25, a gear 26 meshing with gear 21, and a worm wheel 27 The worm wheel 27 meshes with a worm 28 journaled in the housing 9 and operated by the motor shaft as shown. By means of this mechanism the wringer rolls may be operated as desired. I I

At 29 I show a hollow arm, open on what may be called the inner side and provided at suitable points with slots 30 engagmg bolts 31 in housing 6 and flange 8, the bolts being iitted with nuts 32, thereby permitting vertical adjustment of the arm, and yet binding it securely to the supporting structure. The lower end of the arm 29 extends laterally a distance at right angles to the vertical part as shown at-83 and carries an annular element 84. The arm portion 33 and the part 3% are designed to seat flat upon the bottom of the tray 3. In the angle between the arm parts 29 and 83 is formed a housing 35 provided with a central web 38 and having an opening as 3'? and 38 formed in each side thereof, the openings being closed with re movable caps 39 and 40. Sheaves 41 and d2 are journaled in the pockets so formed as shown.

Axially positioned in the element. 3% is a bearing pin 43 provided with a flange i l by means of which it is held in a fixed position through the medium of an arm 45 carried by the element and engaging the under side of the flange, and an arm 16 mountd on arm 45 and engaging the upper side of the flange. 'This construction permits the pin to rotate freely yet provides a positive support. 011 pin fixedly mounted an impeller 4:7 iitted with suitable vanes 48 and having a downwardly turned peripheral flange 49 closely approaching the upper edge of the element @n the under side of .the impeller 4E7 is a depending flange 50 having annular grooves 51 formed in its outer side, and in which is wound a cable 52.

From the impeller 47 the cable passes through arm 33 and over the sheaves t1 and 4:2 and thence upwardly through arm 29 to a sheave 53 grooved asat 54: and mounted on a stubshaft 55 set in the upper end of the arm 29 as shown. The cable may be fastened to the sheaves at a suitable point in the middle groove to prevent slipping.

Pivotally connected to the sheave 53 near its outer edge is'an arm 56 which extends upwardly through a slot 57 in arm 29 and is provided with an adjustable head 58, the said head having a socket 59 formed in one edge thereof. At 60 I show a goose-neck rod vertically slidable in bearings 61 and 62 and provided at one end with a laterally extending pin 63 engageable with the socket 59, and at the other end with yoke engaging pins as 6% mounted on a collar 65 engaging the perimeter of the eccentric 25. A spring 66 normally holds the pin 63 in engagement with the socket 59 so that when the'shai't 24 is rotated the rod 60 is reciprocatcd vertically and the reciprocatin movement is thereby imparted to the sheave 58 and thence by the mechanism described to the impeller 47. K

hen this machine is properly assembled and mounted upon a laundry tray the top of the trayis entirely unobstructed so that even very large pieces to be washed can be easily placed in the tray and as easily removed therefrom, the absence of a central drive shaft permitting the pieces to fall naturally over the whole impeller. Furthermore, by means of this construction the side and bottom of the tray are utilized to support, in part, the pressures developed in the arms when the machine is in use. The arm 29 particularly cooperates with the clamping means on the frame 1 tohold the entire machine rigidly in position. The particular arrangement of the frame 1 and housings formed thereon is also of importance because they permit an economical and practical arrangement of the power transmitting mechanism that is perfectly lubricated without permitting escape of the lubricating fluid into the tray, and because they cooperate with the arrangement of the arms 29 and 33 to leave the tray, or the trays if thereis one oneach side of the machine, completely unobstructed. In this connection the position of the motor is of importance because it permits positioning the main working parts of the transmission in compact manner in a small chamber, the walls of the chamber functioning also asa support for the motor. It is also to be noted that the motor in no way obstructs the tray opening and its weight is centralized over the frame 1 and the supporting wall.

In Figure 10 I show another embodiment of a portion of the impeller operating mechanism wherein a vertical rod as 66 is mounted in the arm 29 provided with an arm 67 connected by a link 68 to an arm 69 on the impeller 47., 'Any suitable means not shown may impart a rotary reciprocating movement to the rod 66, and this is transmitted to the impeller by the means indicated.

In the form shown in Figure 11 the reciprocating movement of the rod 66 istransmittet to the impeller through a pair of meshing segmental gears 70 and 71 mounted, respectively, on the rod 66 and the impeller 47.

It is to be understood, ofcourse, that while I have herein shown and described the preferred embodiments of the invention, changes in form, construction, and method of assembly and operation may be made within the scope of the appended claims.

Iclaim:

1. Ina washing machine, the combination of a frame and means for mounting the same on a laundry tray, an arm ex ending from the frame to the central portion of the bottom of the tray, an impeller mounted upon the arm, and operating mechanism for the impeller carried by the arm.

2. In a washing machine, the combination of a frame and means for mounting the same on a laundry tray, an arm depending from 1,735,391 I p c 3 portion, and operating means for the impeller carried by the arm.

3. In a washing machine, the combination of a frame and means for mounting the same on a laundry tray, an electric motor mounted on the frame, a hollow arm depending from c the frame and bearing against the tray wall and having a laterally directed lower portion seated on the bottom of the tray, an impeller mounted upon the last named portion of the arm, and power transmitting means carried by the arm and having a part connecting the impeller and motor and disposed within the arm. I

4. In a washing machine, the combination of a frame and means for mounting the same on a laundry tray, a hollow arm depending from the frame and paralleling the side wall and bottom of the tray and open on the side directed toward said side and bottom, an impeller mounted upon the lower portion of the arm, a motor mounted on the frame, and power transmitting means carried by the arm and having a part connecting the motor and impeller and disposed within the arm.

5. In a washing machine, the combination of a frame and means for mounting the same on the wall of a laundry tray, an arm removably mounted on the frame and extending downwardly and to the central portion of the bottom of the tra an impeller mounted upon the lower end 0 the arm, a motor mounted on the frame, and power transmitting means carried by the arm and connecting the motor and impeller, the said means being separable between the arm and frame.

6. In a washing machine, the combination of a frame mountable upon the wall of a laundry tray, washing means mounted on the frame, a housing positioned over the frame, a vertically positioned electric motor seated on the housing, power transmitting. mechanism mounted within the housingand connected to said motor, and said washing means.

7. In a washing'machine, the combination of a frame mountable upon the wall of a laundry tray, washing means mounted on the frame, a housing mounted on the top of the frame and having an annular opening in the top thereof, a vertically positioned electric motor seated in said opening and forming a closure therefor, power transmitting means mounted in the housing and connected to the shaft of said motor, and to said washing means.

8. In a washing machine, a frame and means for mounting the same upon the wall of a laundry tray with one side in the plane of the corresponding side of the tray wall, a vertically positioned electric motor mounted on the top of the frame, an arm mounted on the frame and extending downwardly against the side of the tray and thence outwardly to the center of the tray bottom, an

stantially L-shaped arm, means to connect said arm to the tray with the vertical part of the arm engaged with a side of the tray and the horizontal part of the arm seated on the tray bottom, an impeller on the horizontal part of the arm, means carried by the arm to actuate the impeller, a motor carried by the frame, and means actuated by the motor to operate said impeller actuating means.

10. In combination with a frame and means for mounting same on a laundry tray, a clothes impeller, means to mount said impoller within a tray, means carried by the mounting means for actuating the impeller, a motor on the frame, means actuated by the motor to operate said impeller actuating means, a separable connection between said two actuating. means, and means to removably connect the impeller mounting means to the tray whereby to allow the last named means to be removed from the tray while the motor remains on the frame.

11. In combination with a frame and means for mounting same on a laundry tray, a substantially L-shaped arm, means to removably attach the vertical part of the arm against a side of a tray with the horizontal part of the arm seated on the tray bottom, a motorcarried by the frame, a clothes impeller rotatably mounted on said horizontal part of the arm, means carried by the arm to actuate the impeller, means actuated by the motor to operate said impeller actuating means, and a detachable connection between said two actuating means whereby to enable removal of the arm with its impeller and actuating means thereof while the motor remains in position. I

12. In combination with a frame and means for mounting same on a laundry tray,

a substantially L-shaped arm, means to removably attach the vertical part of the arm against a side of a tray with the horizontal part of the arm seated on the tray bottom, a motor carried by the frame,a clothes impeller rotatably mounted on said horizontal part of the arm, said parts of the arm each having their rear sides open and abutting the tray to i be closed thereby, means in said parts of the arm to actuate the impeller, and means carried by the frame to operate said impeller actuating means. 1

CHARLES C. HERBERT. 

